PPX1 Gene Overexpression Has no Influence on Polyphosphates in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

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L. P. Lichko¹, M. A. Eldarov², M. V. Dumina², and T. V. Kulakovskaya^1*

¹Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. Nauki 5, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia; fax: (495) 956-3370; E-mail: alla@ibpm.pushchino.ru

²Center for Bioengineering, Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. 60-letiya Oktyabrya 7/1, 117312 Moscow, Russia

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received June 20, 2014; Revision received June 30, 2014

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The role of exopolyphosphatase PPX1 in polyphosphate metabolism in yeasts has been studied in strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with inactivated PPX1 and PPN1 genes transformed by the expression vector carrying the yeast PPX1 gene. Exopolyphosphatase activity in transformant strains increased 90- and 40-fold compared to the ΔPPX1 and ΔPPN1 strains, respectively. The purified recombinant exopolyphosphatase PPX1 was similar to the PPX1 of wild strains in its substrate specificity and requirement for divalent metal cations. It was more active with tripolyphosphate and low molecular mass polyphosphates than with high molecular mass polyphosphates and required Mg²⁺ for its activity. The high level of recombinant PPX1 expression caused no decrease in polyphosphate content in the cells of the transformant. This fact suggests the restricted role of PPX1 in polyphosphate metabolism in yeasts.

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KEY WORDS: polyphosphates, exopolyphosphatase, PPX1 gene, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, overexpression

DOI: 10.1134/S000629791411008X

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